The Great Wall has long been on my want-to-visit list and it doesn’t disappoint. The Great Wall at Mutiayu is about a 2 hours drive out of central Beijing and it’s not very crowded. It’s sure not flat, and is quite steep in some sections, but is definitely worth seeing the wall in it’s pristine un-touched state. When it seems flat, it is still slanted to the side to let water run off! The stones and bricks are chipped and cracked and worn. Some wobble. The Mutianyu section, built by the rulers of the Ming Dynasty, is the highest and steepest part of the Great Wall. Some steps are 4 inches high, some are 9.
I enjoyed the watchtowers and the arid beauty, the wonderful view of the wall meandering along the mountains, and took time to think of the poor wretches who gave their lives building the wall. I gaze toward the horizon. My mind conjures up the dangers that Ming soldiers once faced. On one side of me is China. On the other side—the land of the barbarians (the Tatars, Mongols and Manchus). To think: at the height of its importance during the Ming dynasty, the Great Wall is believed to have extended some 4,000 miles, the distance from New York to Milan.
I took a cableway (more like a chair lift) up to the starting point. You can climb if you prefer. Also you can either climb down the hill when finished. I, however, opted for the tacky Toboggan slide (aka Non-irrigated farmland sled)
Overall, an amazing experience, one I will never forget! It is one of the most impressive sights anywhere on PLANET EARTH !!!!!!! All travellers must stand on this masterpiece before they die! This is the true truth and I say it as it is…